KNEU

Creating a network of knowledge for biodiversity and ecosystem services

Knowledge about biodiversity and ecosystem services is well advanced in the European scientific community, as demonstrated by many excellent projects and their scientific impact. However, on the global as well as the European scale, there is a failure to communicate the knowledge gained into the policy-making process and society as a whole. Such communication efforts, must ensure that all relevant knowledge is accessible and that all existing biodiversity research communities and other knowledge holders are involved in a network structure that is linked to decision making bodies. The overall objective of the project is thus to develop a recommended design for a scientific biodiversity Network of Knowledge (NoK) to inform policy-makers and other societal actors. This network shall be open, transparent, flexible, equally accessible to all, independent, be scientifically- and evidence-based and have a robust structure. It will develop links to relevant clients to support the science-society interface in Europe and beyond. To achieve this, the project brings together expertise from all major biodiversity research fields (in the consortium and beyond).

Project aims:

We will produce an overview of the biodiversity knowledge landscape in Europe thus providing a basis for the design and potential contributors to a NoK. (KNEU WP1)

We will develop a first prototype NoK, based on the current landscape and discussing structural, methodological and functional issue of a NoK with the community of knowledge holders via online media – this website – a set of regional workshops and a European conference discussion the concrete setting of the prototype. (KNEU WP2)

We will test the prototype for 3 major case study areas for biodiversity governance: agriculture, conservation and marine biodiversity. For these areas, recent governance challenges in need for knowledge input to solve them will be identified with potential clients from policy and other decision makers and then be tackled by the NoK prototype, aiming to derive input into the societal discussions, but in first place, testing the NoK structure with respect to its effectiveness. (KNEU WP3)

We will use the experience to further revise the NoK prototype and probably come up with best practices and if possible a recommended deisgn for a future NoK structure (KNEU WP5).

The steps will be guided by an internal evaluation process (KNEU WP4) and by a communication and dissemination approach (KNEU WP6), thus ensuring a high profile and broad involvement into the projects steps.The project comprises a consortium of 18 leading institutions in Europe on biodiversity and ecosystem services research and governance. The consortium understands itself as a facilitator in developing the Network of Knowledge, aiming at a broad involvement from partners across the biodiversity knowledge landscape.